


Needing/Getting

by chamel



Series: The God of Thunder and the Woman Made of Light [3]
Category: Captain Marvel (2019), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Asgard has a new home, Brunnhilde tells it like it is, Brunnhilde | Valkyrie & Thor Friendship (Marvel), Carol Danvers & Brunnhilde Friendship, Carol Danvers & Talos Friendship, F/M, King Thor (Marvel), Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, POV Brunnhilde | Valkyrie (Marvel), POV Carol, POV Thor (Marvel), Post-Avengers Asgard, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie) - Freeform, Sappy Ending, so does Talos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-01-13 11:11:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18467764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chamel/pseuds/chamel
Summary: It's been three years since the they defeated Thanos for once and all. Thor and Carol haven't been in contact, but they haven't been able to move on either.(Follows the previous works in the series which diverged from canon early in Endgame)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title (and some dialogue) from the Ok Go song "Needing/Getting"

_Asgard Island, 500 miles off the coast of Norway, Earth_

“Your majesty, I beg you to please consider it.”

Thor was, in fact, not considering it at all. “I’m still young, and I intend to be young for many more years.”  
  
His advisors were looking at him like he was a petulant child. “But sire, one day you will not be. Odin had his first child at your age,” one of them said.

“Yes, and that turned out _so_ well, didn’t it?” Thor replied sarcastically.

A second advisor decided to push on. “We have devised a contest for all the young Asgardian women to test their strength, speed, and intelligence. The winner, perhaps, would make a worthy bride…” They were nothing if not persistent.

“I said no. No contests, no brides. I will not marry until I am ready, and I am _not_ ready.”

“We, ah, already announced the contest, and the girls are _very_ excited.”

Thor rolled his eyes. “Fine, have the damned contest, but you better not have said anything about marriage. The winner will have a golden girdle from Freya’s wardrobe, and nothing more. And Brunnhilde will be the judge.”

“Very good, sire.” The advisors bowed slightly, clearly not pleased with the result of this meeting, and made for the exit as a group.

Thor couldn’t see Brunnhilde but he knew she would be nearby, likely laughing at his now-daily harassment. She was one of his official advisors too but she preferred to do her advising over drinks, and loathed the audience chamber. Thor wasn’t so fond of it himself. Sitting in audience was perhaps his least favorite part of ruling. Adjudicating over a supposedly stolen pig was not his idea of helping people. He glanced forlornly at Stormbreaker, mounted in a place of honor by his throne. It had been years since it had seen action. That meant years of peace and security on Earth, but he missed the excitement. Sighing, he turned toward the herald at the door.

“Send in the first petitioner.”

****

“Thanks for volunteering me to judge that stupid contest.”

Thor looked up from the drink he had been staring blankly into. Brunnhilde was leaning on the door frame of his chambers, hand on her hip. She was wearing her valkyrie armor, as she did every day, as if a fight was about to break out at any moment.

“It seemed like it was an area of your purview,” he replied, “Maybe you can recruit some new valkyries to train.”

She considered it and reluctantly acknowledged that he had made a good point. Sauntering into the room, she headed directly to his liquor cabinet. “I see you started without me,” she said, pouring herself a glass to the brim with the potent alcohol.

Thor shrugged. “Today’s audience was… terrible. Nothing but petty squabbles, and then there’s that damned contest. What were they thinking?  
  
“Thinking that you need a woman,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “They’re not totally wrong.”

“Not you too,” he groaned, rolling his eyes. He got enough of it from his advisors, he didn’t need to hear it from his best friend, too.

“The difference is that I’m not trying to shove nubile young women down your throat.”

He screwed up his face. “Thanks for that image…”

Brunnhilde ignored him. “When was the last time you talked to her?”  
  
“You know the answer to that.” Thor didn’t meet her gaze.

“Three years is a long time to not speak to the woman you love. She left you a communicator,” she accused.

“It’s not like she has reached out to me,” he said defensively, “She knows where we are, and if she wanted to see me she could do it any time.”

She just sighed at him, shaking her head. He continued: “And besides, how would that solve anything? If she’s so busy she can’t be troubled to stop by Earth in three years, do you really see her settling down? What would I even say to her? ’Oh hi Carol, say do you want to be Queen of Asgard?’”

Now she was looking at him like he was an idiot. “How about, ‘hey, I miss you, I’d love if you could visit.’ News flash: there’s a lot between a marriage proposal and a lack of all contact.”

“I should just forget her,” he said hopelessly, not hearing her.

“Yes, that seems very likely,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “You’re definitely going to get over her after three years of pining.” Seeing Thor’s discomfort, she softened slightly. “Believe me, I speak from experience: it doesn’t get much dumber than trying to forget a girl when you love her. You need her.”

“Needing is one thing, but getting?” he said looking up at her, “Getting is another thing entirely.”

****

_Outpost Z–504, Maklu System, Andromeda Galaxy_

“You need another drink, hon?”

The bartender had a kindly looking face and Carol couldn’t quite tell if it was female or male. Or did this species not have genders? She couldn’t remember. She nodded wordlessly, and the bartender filled her glass with the brilliant green liquor. It burned like fire, but it sure could take your cares away.

After taking care of a few more customers in the sleepy bar, the bartender wandered back over, polishing a glass. “You hear about that dust-up over on Kakaranthara?”

“You could say that,” Carol replied. The bartender looked at her curiously. “It was a bit of nasty business, but the citizens repelled the invaders and the planet is safe.” She left out her role in the whole matter, the part where she had destroyed hundreds of invading ships so that the natives she was working with on the ground had the chance to root out the infiltrators in their government. It had gone well, all things considered, but there was always something after a success that got her down now. Something about all those joyous faces reminded her of a time in her life that she’d rather not think about.

“Well I’m glad to hear that. Ships coming to trade there give us a lot of business.”

Carol sat in silence for a few minutes more. It was nice when a bartender didn’t insist on chatting the whole time. Finally, she asked what she always did at these intergalactic scuttlebutts. “Heard anything out here about Asgard?”

The bartender thought a second, then shook its head. “Can’t say I have. Probably a good thing, eh?”

She managed a small smile. “Yeah, guess so.” Last she had heard all was going well with the small kingdom.

Someone slid up to the bar next to her and ordered a drink. The bartender went away to fix it, and after a moment the stranger said, “I’ve been over on the Milky Way Galaxy recently.”

Carol looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“Word is that the king of Asgard is looking for a bride. One girl I ran into said she tried to get an audience but his advisors told her he’ll only marry an Asgardian.”

“Ah,” she managed as her heart dropped into her stomach.

“By the way, Marvel, that was a nice piece of work you pulled over there at Kakaranthara,” he said, smiling at her.

So he knew who she was. Not that it mattered that much but she liked to keep a low profile. “I gotta go,” she said, getting up from her stool, “thanks for the info.” The bartender had returned, and Carol threw a coin on the counter. “For his drink too.” She left before the stranger could say anything.

She retreated to the safety of her ship, docked at one of the refueling stations of the outpost. Could what the stranger had said be true? Was Thor looking for a wife? That didn’t really seem like him, but it had been a while. Maybe he had changed. She needed to talk to someone, and there was pretty much only one person in the universe she trusted enough with her emotions.

“Harrison, set a course for Tarnax IV,” she asked the ship’s computer, then carefully navigated away from the outpost.

“Affirmative, arrival at Tarnax IV in five hours.”


	2. Chapter 2

_Tarnax IV, Tarnax System, Andromeda Galaxy_

Carol knocked twice on the door of the small home. She heard a few sounds of movement inside, and then the door opened. A familiar face peered out at her.

“Hey Talos,” she said, smiling.

He smiled back at her. Somehow age had given him more wrinkles than he already had, and they creased with his grin. “How did I know it was going to be you? Come in, come in!” He led her into the house and she followed, taking her place in her favorite chair. His house was always comforting to her. “What have you been up to lately?”

She shrugged. “You know. Just a few jobs here and there.”

“Yeah. A few jobs, I’m sure. And what brings you to this system?”

“I—I needed a bit of a break I guess.”

“I’ll say,” Talos snorted, “You look like hell.”

She had to laugh. “This is why I come here. Everyone else lies to me.”  
  
“And you know I never will. I respect you too much for that, Carol,” he replied. “So you’re going to take a vacation now, yes?”

“Ahh, I don’t know. I just can’t find the time,” she said, looking off across the room.

Talos shook his head at her. “Carol, the universe won’t go to pieces if you take a break. I promise. Have you even picked up another distress signal?”  
  
“No,” she admitted. “I just don’t know what I would do with myself.” There was a few moments of silence and she was aware of Talos scrutinizing her.

“When’s the last time you saw him?”

Carol didn’t need to ask who. “It’s been years.”

“There you go,” Talos said, leaning back and spreading his hands. “Vacation on Earth.”

“I don’t know” she replied, and then quieter, “I heard he’s looking for an Asgardian wife.”

“There it is. That’s why you showed up at my door today,” he said. Carol didn’t respond. She didn’t know what to say. Her plan had been to come here but she hadn’t gotten past that point. “You can’t fool me, Carol, I’ve known you too long. You won’t be able to sleep until you go there and find out for yourself.”

“I was afraid you would say that. Doesn’t really sound like a vacation though, right?” she said in an attempt at levity.

“What if I told you that some evil being was planning to attack Earth. Would that help?”

She laughed again. “Talos, you’re the best. Do you promise to let me know if I’m needed here?”

“If that will make you feel better about leaving, I’ll be the nosiest Skrull in this system,” he promised. “If some wanna-be conquerer even so much as sneezes in the direction of an undefended planet, I’ll call you.”

They both got up and she gave him a hug. “Thank you. I’ll be back soon.”

“I hope not, for your sake.”

****

_Planet C-53, Sol System, Milky Way Galaxy_

Earth looked so peaceful from up high in orbit. She supposed it was, on the whole, pretty peaceful at the moment, although there were always humanity’s inevitable wars. But it was nothing big enough to be noticeable from space or attract attention from other worlds.

Carol had sent a message to Strange immediately upon entering Earth’s orbit so he would know the bogey that just jumped into their space was her. There weren’t a lot of visitors to Earth from off-planet because most of the populace was still stuck in their old habits of fear and distrust of off-worlders. Of course they had plenty of reason to, but there was so much out there that they would benefit from if they would start up interplanetary trade. But for now, Strange watched the skies for his planet, knowing that most visitors were likely there on nefarious purposes.

She had come in near Norway and was able to pick out the large island that Asgard had been given for their new home. What was the best way was to make her presence known? Just show up, or send out a message? Who would she send a message to? What would it say? Eventually she decided that perhaps surprise was her best bet.

“Harrison, hang out here, ok?”

“Affirmative. Have a good visit, Carol.”

Sometimes she wondered how much the AI that Stark had put in her ship knew. She put the ship into standby so it would remain in stationary orbit. Triggering her helmet, she dropped out of the hatch of the ship and rocketed down toward Earth.

While she was still high above and not too noticeable, Carol flew in a big circle around Asgard Island. It was the first time she had seen them in the new settlement. In the three years they had been there they had built a modern looking city. The main roads all led toward a moderate-sized palace worked in granite that sat on a hill looking over the landscape. It was almost evening, but the summer sun was still high here near the arctic circle. People were bustling around the streets, closing shops for the night and enjoying the mild weather. She flew over toward the palace then hung a moment in the air to gather herself before she descended.

She was pretty sure she hadn’t been seen as she landed lightly behind the palace. High on the main tower was a room with a large bank of windows facing north across the unblemished natural countryside. Several hung open, but so high along the sheer face of the building as to be unreachable. Well, to everyone except her. With a jump she launched herself up and flew through one of the open windows. The room she landed in was empty and—as she had guessed—it almost certainly belonged to Thor’s chambers. It was a living room of sorts, with couches and chairs and a well-stocked bar along one wall. She caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror hanging above the bar as she walked by. _I do look like hell_ , she thought. Her hair was haggard and slightly uneven from the last time she tried to cut it herself, and dark circles fell under her eyes. The long shadows cast by the late summer sun were doing her no favors. Turning away, she found a small chair and pulled it over to a shadowed corner to wait.

She didn’t wait long. The door opened quietly, and a large figure stood in the doorway. She watched as Thor entered, not bothering to turn on the lights. He seemed weary, she thought, and his shoulders hung heavy. He headed straight to the decanters and poured himself a large glass of brown liquor. Then he stopped.

“Carol.”

She didn’t say anything at first, trying to figure out how he knew she was there. She had left no trace of her passage and he hadn’t looked in the direction of the chair she had taken.

“What are you doing here?” he asked. His voice sounded strained. That question was not quite how Carol had envisioned his greeting.

“I decided to come and visit.” She couldn’t really think of anything else to say. “I had some free time.”

Thor was still facing away from her, staring into his drink with the decanter in his hand. “It’s been a while. Want a drink?”

“God yes,” she breathed. She was on pins and needles here, wanting him to show some emotion. Any emotion. He poured her a drink and finally turned toward her. His face was totally unreadable as he handed it to her. She accepted it gratefully and sipped. “Nice,” she said, indicating the liquor.

“Our people have finally recreated our liquor from ingredients on Earth. This is the first batch, aged only two years.” He spoke as if out of habit, as if she wasn’t there. They sat for a few moments in silence.

“Thor, I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner…” she started.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, cutting her off. “I’m sure you had more important things to do.”  
  
_Ouch_. This really wasn’t going well. “I hope I’m not coming at a bad time?” she ventured.

“Not at all. Our new palace is finished, and it has plenty of guest rooms.”

She couldn’t keep from visibly wincing. She didn’t know what she had expected, but it wasn’t this. Perhaps the rumors were true, and he had moved past her. Maybe he was even betrothed already. She downed the rest of the liquor in one gulp.

“Thanks for the drink. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow,” she managed, then she turned and left.

_What on earth was that_? She thought. She wandered aimlessly for a while until she passed a servant and flagged him down. He showed her to a room a floor below. It was beautifully furnished and the bed was indescribably soft, but she couldn’t sleep. Part of it was the sun; it was only actually gone for a couple of hours that night. Even Hala had longer days. Then there was the fact that she kept replaying their interaction in her head. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe she should just leave.

The sun had been up for a few hours when she decided that she needed to clear her head. The palace was huge and she got lost quickly, turning down random hallways looking for anything that could be construed as a training room. She could have gone outside, but she didn’t want to draw attention to herself. She turned another corner, and ran smack in to Brunnhilde.

“Carol?” she said, surprised, “I didn’t know you were here!”

At least Brunnhilde was excited to see her. “I just got in last night.”

“No shit. It’s great to see you.” She grabbed Carol in to a hug, and just that simple gesture helped Carol to relax. She had started thinking something had gone really wrong, that she was really unwelcome here.

“You’re up early,” Carol said.

Brunnhilde shrugged. “It’s hard to sleep with this sun.”

“Yeah, I found that out. I was looking for a training room? Somewhere to let off some steam?”

“C’mon, I’ll show you where they are.” Brunnhilde led the way and Carol followed, a bit more at ease in her surroundings now that she had found a friendly face. The training rooms were huge and well-furnished, with just about every training weapon imaginable available. Carol even saw things that she had only encountered several galaxies away.

“Wow, where did you get all this stuff?” she asked in amazement.

“Everything shows up in Sakaar eventually. I built up quite the collection when I lived there.”

Carol turned to look at her. “Do you ever miss it? The freedom to go anywhere and do anything, I mean.”

Brunnhilde smirked at her. “No, I really don’t. Life as a scrapper sucked. I’m thinking about training a new corps of valkyries, should be fun. I could use someone with your fighting experience to help train them,” she suggested casually.

“Me??” Carol replied, surprised. “Oh, well, I probably won’t be around too long…”

Brunnhilde put a hand on her hip. “Is that so? Why _are_ you here, Carol?”

“I just thought I’d come back to visit all of you guys,” she said uncomfortably.

“Right. It definitely doesn’t have anything to do with our illustrious ruler.”

Carol flushed, and couldn’t find the words to answer the valkyrie standing in front of her. Why did this visit have to mean so much? Another voice inside her said, _what did you expect when you show up after three years without contact?_

“You look like you could use a drink,” Brunnhilde said, interrupting her thoughts.

Carol looked at her blankly. “It’s five in the morning.”

“So?”

Carol considered for a second, then shrugged as if to say ‘why not?’ Brunnhilde triggered a hidden switch in the wall and a tray with a bottle and two glasses appeared from a trap door.

“Interesting training supplies.”

“Necessary training supplies.” Brunnhilde poured a healthy glug in each glass and handed one to Carol. Both threw the shot back and Carol grimaced as the harsh liquor burned its way down to her stomach.

“That is rough,” she coughed, “Different vintage than the one Thor has I take it?”

Brunnhilde didn’t answer her question. “So you _have_ seen him.”

“Yeah… it didn’t go super well.”

“It’s been a long time, Carol. He had pretty much lost hope that you would ever come back.”

Carol stared into her empty glass. “He has a communicator. He never contacted me once,” she said quietly.

Brunnhilde rolled her eyes. “For a pair of ageless beings you guys are acting like a bunch of children,” she scolded. “ _Talk_ to him.” She grabbed the neck of the bottle and took it with her as she left the room.

Carol stood in the training room, unsure of what to do next. It _wasn’t_ only her fault, but now she had to be the bigger person? How was that fair? She was getting more and more frustrated, and she could feel the energy of her anger flowing through her body.

“Captain?” a voice said tentatively behind her, and the intrusion flipped a switch in her. She whirled around and yelled wordlessly in frustration as she shot a blast that vaporized a standing training bag near the door. When the dust cleared it revealed a servant standing in the doorway, white as a ghost.

Carol realized what she had done and put her hands up to her mouth in shock. “Ohmygod! I’m sorry! Are you ok?”

“Yes,” the servant managed, composing himself. “I’m—I’m fine. I am so very sorry to have disturbed you. I have been asked invite you to dine with His Majesty this evening. Lady Brunnhilde has left appropriate raiment for you in your room.”

Carol was still breathing hard, hardly able to process that she had just been invited to a formal dinner. “Yeah… of course, I’d be happy to attend.”

“Very good, Captain.” The servant turned and fled the room before he could have any more close calls with photon blasts.


	3. Chapter 3

Brunnhilde stood near the dais, waiting for Thor to arrive to give audience to the day’s petitioners. She hated this room—too big, too formal—and she hated listening to people whinging about problems that they could take care of with a good fight. For some reason Thor didn’t want his populace fighting, but she couldn’t see that it would be that bad. It would cut down on this, at least. He didn’t ask her to be up here that frequently, but when he did it meant he wanted to talk with her between petitioners. She could guess what he wanted to talk about today.

Thor entered, and the guards all sprang to attention and the herald announced him. Brunnhilde yawned. It was all pomp and circumstance now, but she would always think of him as the gladiator back on Sakaar that had somehow won her loyalty. “You’re looking tired, highness,” she murmured to him as he took his seat.

He shot her a look that said, ‘don’t start with me,’ but then why did he ask her here if he didn’t want her to speak the truth? The first petitioner came in and spoke his case. Brunnhilde tuned out. She was thinking about the morning’s conversation with Carol, and about her question of whether Brunnhilde was happy here. She knew she was, but she did miss the fighting and the thrill of battle. Maybe if she had an elite team of valkyries they could go help others in need in the galaxy. She became aware that Thor was calling her name. She shook her head and looked at him.

“You were in another galaxy, I think,” he said smiling.

She smirked back. “Just another system in this one.”

“How have you been fairing lately?” he asked conversationally, as if nothing in the world was concerning him.

“Cut the bullshit. I know what you really want to talk about.”

But a new petitioner had arrived at the base of the dais. Brunnhilde didn’t know why he liked to talk to her here, only getting snippets of conversation in before being interrupted. This petitioner wanted to go exploring in Thor’s name, as if everything hadn’t been completely mapped on this planet. _Well, let her_ , Brunnhilde thought. She would probably have more fun than just sitting around here.

“Why is she here?” Thor asked as the petitioner left.

Brunnhilde raised an eyebrow at him. “Seriously?”

“After all this time, why now?”

She rolled her eyes. “Maybe she couldn’t get away before now. Maybe she heard you were getting married and had to know if the reason you haven’t called her in three years is because you didn’t love her anymore.”

“I am _not_ getting married,” he hissed, “and she could have visited any time.”

“I am truly surrounded by children,” Brunnhilde said to herself, but Thor couldn’t reply because another petitioner had approached.

"None of this matters if she is just going to leave again," he said when the petitioner had left. "Nothing will have changed."

"You're right, she's not going to change. And why should she? Why would you want her to?"

"No, I don't want her to change, but..." he protested.

"But you've spent these years thinking you do, waiting for her to change and decide she wanted to sit around Asgard doing nothing. She knew it, and _that's_ why she stayed away, because she knew that the there was no middle ground."—Brunnhilde didn't know if this was true, but it sounded good—"Don't be an idiot. You fell in love with  _her_ , with her selflessness and passion for helping others. You change that, you've lost everything." She was tired of this, and she had nothing else to say about the matter. She turned, leaving Thor to his petitioners and his thoughts.

****

After her close call in the training room Carol decided she needed to take a walk to clear her head. The island was beautiful in the bright summer sun. Flowers were more intense, birds singing more feverently, trees an intense shade of green that you only got when the growing season was so short. The air was heady with the scent of blossoms, and Carol thought that she hadn’t seen such a breathtaking sight in a long time. She could forget about the rest of the universe here, about all of her cares. She found a bench near a fountain and sat watching the birds come to bathe in the sparkling water.

The sun moved slowly across the sky, and eventually she figured she should probably get ready for this dinner. She had no idea what time it actually was, but being late was probably not the best idea. What kind of dinner was this, anyway? Formal and impersonal? Small and intimate? She would find out soon enough. When she arrived back at her guest room she looked for what Brunnhilde had left her to wear. She spotted a golden dress hanging from the wardrobe, a note attached to the hanger.

_Had the tailors whip this up. Go get him. — B_

Carol looked at the dress more closely. The fabric was impossibly smooth and lightweight, seeming like liquid gold as it pooled in her hand. The garment had little structure, with what looked to be a plunging V in the front. What was Brunnhilde thinking? Carol supposed she couldn’t very well wear her suit or casual clothes to a dinner like this, but this seemed extreme. When was the last time she had worn a dress? Probably when her parents had forced her into one for holidays. She had always been a tomboy, and she would show up with her dress muddy and tights ripped at the end of the day. Then again, when was the last time she had dinner with a king in his court? She was going to go with never.

She peeled out of her clothes and slipped the dress over her head. It fit perfectly, skimming every curve of her body and leaving little to the imagination. She walked over to the mirror and flushed. _I can't go out in public like this!_ But she had no other choice. Brunnhilde was going to pay for this.

There was a knock at the door, and Carol cast around for something to put over this. She grabbed her old leather jacket, which suitably hid the most revealing parts of the dress. A pair of girls stood outside her door.

“The Lady Brunnhilde sent us to do your hair and makeup,” one of them said cheerfully.

 _Oh hell no_ was the first thing that came to Carol’s mind, but then she remembered how terrible she had looked in the mirror. “Come on in,” she sighed.

She sat on a chair in front of the vanity and the girls immediately began fussing about her head. “Not too much, ok?” she said, and they nodded dutifully.

They trimmed her uneven hair and put it into a sleek updo, and thankfully honored her wishes about the makeup. She looked in the mirror when they were done and was impressed. Her face looked refreshed, the only really noticeable makeup a deep red lip.

“You clean up nicely,” a voice said from the doorway, and Carol looked to see Brunnhilde walking in.

She stood up, still wearing the jacket. “This is really too much,” she said, gesturing to the dress.

Brunnhilde grinned mischievously, and came around behind her to pull the jacket off. “Damn,” she said as the whole dress was revealed, “you look even more breathtaking than I thought.”

Carol flushed. “This doesn’t seem to be appropriate for public,” she protested.

“Who said anything about public?”

“I thought… wasn’t this… what about the dinner?” Carol asked, confused.

“About that,” Brunnhilde said deviously, “Thor didn’t actually invite you to dinner. The invitation came from me.”  
  
“WHAT?” Carol cried, “I look like this and there’s not even a formal dinner?!”

“Exactly. The afternoon audiences are over, but Thor likes to take a walk outside afterward in the summer. Then he’ll return to his chambers for drinks, and you’ll already be there, waiting for him.”

“This hardly seems necessary for a conversation,” Carol said, gesturing to the dress.

“Oh definitely necessary,” Brunnhilde replied, her gaze traveling appreciatively over Carol’s body. “If you look like this, he won’t be able to put up those stupid walls he seems so insistent on.”

Carol shook her head. “I don’t think I’m ready for this.”  
  
“Of course you are,” Brunnhilde said, taking Carol by the arm, “C’mon, we need to get you to his chambers before he gets back.”

Brunnhilde deposited Carol in Thor’s sitting room and poured her a large drink. “You’ve got this,” the valkyrie said as she closed the door behind her.

No matter what Brunnhilde said, Carol was decidedly _not_ ready for this. What was she even going to say to him? _I love you_. That seemed like too much, and she didn’t think she could bear it if his response wasn’t the same. _Why didn’t you call me?_ Too combative. _I’m sorry I stayed away_. That didn’t work so well last time. She took a gulp of the liquor to calm her nerves, but it didn’t really work. Where was he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter has the payoff you've been waiting for, I promise!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't originally intend to make this chapter "mature", but it happened anyway.

Brunnhilde’s words stayed with him as he sat through the rest of the audience, barely paying attention to the people in front of him. His walk in the evening air only marginally helped to gather his thoughts. By the time he arrived back at his chambers he had decided that he needed to apologize to Carol, but he hadn’t really worked out how to. He pushed open his door and walked in, eyes downcast as he continued to think. Then he looked up and saw her standing in the middle of the room.

For a moment, he couldn’t say anything. She was wearing a stunning gold dress that skimmed over her body and accentuated her muscle tone. Her hair had been pulled up off her neck to highlight the plunging neckline, and she was wearing lipstick—a rare event for her. Thor had never seen her like this, and he felt struck dumb at the sight of her. Her expression said she was nervous, which was also unusual, and she clutched a tumbler of liquor tightly.

“Carol? What… why…?” he managed, but couldn’t formulate the many questions running through his head into speech.

She didn’t say anything in reply. Instead she set her drink down on the table, then walked purposefully over to him and kissed him. It took a second for Thor to process what was happening. Her kiss was tentative, hesitating, as if she wasn’t sure what his reaction would be. He could taste the sweet, pungent alcohol on her breath. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close, pressing their bodies tightly together. As he returned her kiss with enthusiasm she reached up and snaked her fingers through his hair, pushing his mouth into hers hungrily. His hands slid along the smooth dress, feeling every inch of her body beneath it. All of the tension, all of the hurt and disappointment, all was undone by this kiss, all replaced by unbridled need. His heart was pounding and he wanted nothing more than to tear the slinky dress off her body. In the back of his mind he realized that she might not appreciate it’s destruction, though.

In one motion he swept her off her feet and into his arms, carrying her off toward the bedroom. He laid her on the bed and unbuckled his belt hurriedly. The desire within him was insistent and would not be ignored. There was no time for romance, no time for foreplay, no time to waste at all. He climbed over her and into her arms, sliding the bottom of her dress up as he went. She wasn’t wearing any underwear. She grabbed him and guided him inside her, breathing heavily. He leaned forward to kiss her again, and they rocked together. Neither of them was going to last long. He could feel the pressure building inside him, and slid a hand down between them. It sent her over the edge and she gasped, calling his name. Then he climaxed as well, pleasure crashing like a wave over his body. For a moment afterward he held himself above her, looking down at her flushed face with it’s soft, blissful smile. He leaned down and kissed her again, this time tenderly, and she reached up to cup his jaw gently.

“That was unexpected,” she said, smiling, as he pulled back from the kiss.

“I don’t see how it could have been with that dress you’re wearing.”

Carol laughed. “This old thing?”

“Where in the universe did you get it?”

“You can thank Brunnhilde for that,” she smirked, tracing a finger lightly along his jaw line.

“I have a lot to thank her for, then,” he said, and she looked at him curiously. “She… talked some sense into me.”

“That makes two of us.”

They were silent for a moment, laying next to each other on the bed. “I’m sorry I was such a jerk yesterday,” Thor said, quietly.

Carol put a hand on his arm. “I don’t blame you. We were both stupid. I don’t know where we go from here,” she said. “I still want to help wherever I can, but I can’t imagine every being away from you that long ever again.”

“Only two years, then,” he quipped.

“I’m trying to be serious here,” she scolded playfully.  
  
“Right. Serious.” Thor tried to put a serious look on his face and succeeded in cracking her up.

She got her laughter under control, then sighed and said, “I don’t want to ask you to wait for me, to always be worried about me. I understand if you need a more stable partner.”

This had turned way more serious than Thor had thought it was going to. He didn’t care what she said, he couldn’t imaging his life going forward without her. He had spend the last three years miserable without her, and now she was suggesting that they split entirely? He shook his head.

“Carol, I admit that in the last three years I have been thinking that I wanted you to change. That you would want to settle down and stay here. But I realized that I have never wanted that. I want _you_ , and all that you are, even if that means not seeing you for months at a time.”

Carol stared at him like he was going to change his mind. “You’re sure?”

“Absolutely. I love you, Carol.” She was silent for a moment, and it felt like his heart stopped.

“I love you too, Thor,” she said at last.

His heart soared and he kissed her again, never wanting to let go. Maybe, just maybe, this would work.

She looked thoughtful for a moment. “What about your impending betrothal?”  
  
“You heard about that,” he groaned. “It’s my advisors, they want me to marry and have children to ‘secure the throne of Asgard’. But there is no one I would marry but you.” Thor didn’t really realize what he had said until it was out of his mouth.

“Was that a proposal?” She looked, if anything, slightly bemused.

“Did you want it to be?” he asked tentatively, not knowing if he wanted to hear the answer.

“I love you,” she said again, “and it’s not that I don’t want to spend the rest my life with you. But it’s not just that, is it? It means a whole lot more to marry a king. I just can’t commit to that right now. Can we just try this new thing for a while first? We don’t even know it will work.”

_I know it will work_ , he thought, _it has to_. But he kissed to top of her head and said, “Of course, I understand. I’m prepared to give you all the time in the world.”

****

A few days later Carol got a distress signal. It was from the the Orion Nebula, not too far away. She said her goodbyes, assuring everyone that she would be back soon. She found Thor last, standing outside the palace’s gardens as if he wasn’t acutely aware that she was leaving. She approached him and he looked up at her and smiled.

“This shouldn’t take too long,” she said lightly, “I’ve knocked around these guys a few times before. They’ll probably run when they see me coming.”

“If they know what’s good for them,” he replied, taking her in his arms. They shared a kiss; it wasn’t hurried or desperate, nor tentative and questioning, but just… comfortable. He held her close and she found herself, for the first time, wondering if she was strictly needed or if they couldn’t get by on their own.

“Promise you’ll come back to me,” he said.

“Wild flerkins couldn’t keep me away,” she replied, grinning.

Thor smiled at her joke, but she could tell that it was forced. “I have something for you.” He produced a golden pendant on a chain, several rings all twisted together. He handed it to her and she looked at it more closely. “It’s enchanted. When you wear it you have some extra protection. It was my mother’s.”  
  
“I can’t take this,” she protested, trying to hand it back to him, “it’s too important. And you know I’m damn near invincible anyway.”

He put up his hands and pushed the pendant back toward her. “It will give me some peace of mind. And you are more important to me than any treasure.”

She withdrew the pendant and held it somewhat awkwardly. “Thank you,” she said sincerely.

He took it out of her hand and hung it around her neck, then kissed her again. She didn’t trust herself to say anything more, so when they pulled away she dropped the pendant inside her suit and triggered her helmet. She shot back up toward her ship, watching Thor standing there for as long as he was visible.

She sat, looking down at the Earth, for a while as if convincing herself to leave. She pulled the pendant out of her suit and stared at it, thinking about Thor’s not-a-proposal. Carol had always been sure that she would never get married. It just didn’t seem like the kind of thing that she would ever do. Being tied down to one place, to one person… that wasn’t her life. So she was surprised to find herself considering it. Never in a million years would she have thought that Queen of Asgard was a title that might be in her future. Thor said he didn’t want to stop her from helping people, but was that really true? How long could he go before he needed her back? How long could she go before she needed him? She wasn’t sure anymore.

“Harrison?”

“Yes, Captain?”

“What do you know about love?”  
  
“I’m afraid I don’t have any experience, Captain. I could consult what the Earth poets have said on the matter? It is extensive.”

Carol gave a small laugh. “That’s ok, Harrison. Thanks anyway. Set a course for Orion-67.”  
  
“Affirmative, arrival at Orion-67 in eight hours.”


	5. Chapter 5

_Dakkam, Beta Rigel System, Milky Way Galaxy_

“Are you sure you can’t stay, Captain? My people would love to host a celebration in your honor.” The man in front of her was tall and thin, with sharp nose and deep-set dark eyes. His long purple robes gave him a regal look, though she knew he was merely a local governor.

“I appreciate the offer, but I really do have to get back to Earth.”

“What can we ever do to thank you?” he asked.

She smiled and shook her head. “There’s no need. Knowing that you are safe is enough for me.”

The governor clapped twice and a small child came running into the room carrying a sword bigger than the small being carrying it. The girl made straight for Carol and held the sword up as high as she could.

“For you,” the governor said, “a small token of our appreciation.”

“Really, I don’t need anything…” she started, but the governor held up his hand.

“We insist.”

Carol picked up the sword, which was lighter than she expected. “Thank you. I’m not that far away, let me know if you ever need help again.”

The governor bowed and Carol turned, walking out of the hall and into the red sunlight. The scabbard had a strap attached so she slung the sword over her shoulder and blasted into the air, waving to the kids assembled below as she left.

When she had arrived at her ship she laid the sword in the copilot’s seat and slid into her’s. She woke the ship out of standby and the displays winked on.

“Damn,” she swore as she saw the Earth time display. She had promised she would be back in Asgard today, but ‘today’ was already more than half over there and she was still hours away. “Harrison, let’s get a move on.”

“Affirmative, Captain. Arrival on earth in seven hours.”

She scowled. “Can we do any better?”  
  
“We could shave a half an hour if we divert everything but life support to the engines.”  
  
“Do it,” she said. Six and a half hours in the dark wouldn’t be too bad. Maybe she could get some sleep. Harrison shut down the power inside the ship and turned off the antigravity. The sword floated off the seat next to her, and she grabbed it before it could go flying around the ship. She pulled it half way out of the sheath and gasped as it glittered in the red sunlight shining through the windows. The blade was rippled, the product of folding the metal over and over again, but it was unlike any damascus blade she’d seen before. It wasn’t one but two metals folded together, but she couldn’t tell offhand what they were. As she held it it seemed to soak in the sunlight, but she dismissed it as a trick of the light. She wasn’t much of a sword person herself, but she could think of someone who would be thrilled to have it. Stashing the sword under a seat, she reclined her own seat and closed her eyes as the ship sped up rapidly to near light speed.

Unfortunately, sleep evaded her. Instead, she found herself wondering what awaited her back on Earth. Normally there weren’t any specific days or times that she tried to be back, and he didn’t ask her to be. It had been three years since her “vacation” that changed everything, and she managed to visit relatively frequently, sometimes staying for weeks before she got another distress signal. She had realized that in the years before she had kept busy in part by looking for fights. The reality was that many planets _could_ take care of themselves, just like Earth did when she left it for all those years. She had mentioned this to Talos the last time she visited and he had looked at her like she was an idiot for not realizing it sooner.

“I’ve been telling you this for years,” he had said wearily.

“No you haven’t!” she had protested.  
  
“Selective memory. I also told you to get a partner, but you just said ‘nooooo, I’m strong, I don’t need help.’”

She crossed her arms in front of her and huffed, “I didn’t say it like that.”

“But isn’t it nicer to have someone to share your victories with?” Talos pushed.

She had to admit it was. The first time Thor had suggested that he could come along and help with a job—one that seemed like it might be very difficult—she had resisted the idea. He had looked so excited about getting to fight again, though, that she acquiesced, and it had actually been a blast. He didn’t come on every mission, but once in a while he would get restless and leave the governing in the hands of his advisors so he could join her. Fighting together only brought them closer.

_What was he up to?_ she wondered. He declined to go on this most recent trip and had made her promise she would be back on this day. She did recognized it as an ‘anniversary’ of sorts: the day of the faked dinner, the day she had finally admitted that she loved him. Previous years had gone by without fanfare, but he was obviously planning something this time.

****

Thor was impatient, and he took his impatience out on Brunnhilde.

“Where is she? She’s late. What if something happened to her?” he asked rhetorically, pacing the room.

Brunnhilde crossed her arms in front of her and looked at him with what might be pity. “You’re going to wear a hole in the floor. She’ll be here.”  
  
He looked up at her, unable to hide the worry on her face. “What if she isn’t?”

“She will be,” she said definitively. Grabbing a decanter she poured the liquor into a glass, then held the entire bottle out to him. “Here, you need this.”

“I don’t think drinking all of that is the best idea.”

She shrugged. “Suit yourself.” She withdrew the bottle and handed him the glass instead, then started downing the bottle herself.

Thor sipped the liquor. It was the strong stuff. He knew it would take his cares away, but it would also send him into a fog. He wanted his mind to be clear tonight. Brunnhilde had finished the bottle; thankfully she replaced it on the table rather than smashing it on the ground as she was wont to do.

“How’s the valkyrie training going?” he asked casually.

“I gave you that report two days ago,” she replied, raising an eyebrow at him.

Thor sighed. “I _know_. I’m trying to talk about something else.”

“Would be going better if Carol were here.”

“Not. Helping.” he said through gritted teeth.

“Sorry,” she apologized, but she didn’t look that sorry.

He paced some more trying to keep from thinking of all the things that could have gone wrong. _If only Heimdal were here_... There wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t miss the wisdom and friendship of Heimdal, but times like this made his absence all the more acute. He would be able to see Carol, to know if she was in trouble. Thor continued pacing.


	6. Chapter 6

In her rush, Carol hit the ground outside the palace harder than she had intended. The windows rattled softly, and she hoped she hadn’t woken anyone. It wasn’t quite dark, but it wasn’t quite light: a dusky twilight gave everything a purplish hue. The hilt of the sword strapped to her back glinted softly in the low light. It was late—late enough that she might not have actually made it on the date she had promised—but she thought it was close enough. The guards at the door inclined their heads deferentially as she walked inside. On her way through the winding halls she passed the kitchens and her mouth watered at the thought of what the cooks in the kitchen might have for her. She was hungry after six hours of nothing, but she had no time for delays. She made her way purposefully toward the chambers that they now shared.

The room was dark when she entered and she wondered if Thor had given up and gone to sleep. Not wanting to disturb him, she raised a hand in front of her and softly lit the room with the glow from it. As her eyes adjusted she realized that he was sitting in a chair, drink in hand, staring out the window.

“You’re here,” he said, not turning to face her. His voice sounded strained.

“Did I make it?” she asked, glancing over to the clock on the wall now illuminated by the glow of her hand. Before he spoke she knew that she had not.

He made a sound that might have been a laugh. “Not quite.”

Switching on a lamp, she glanced around the room and noticed a couple of empty wine glasses and an open bottle sitting on the table where they often ate informal meals together. Two piles of wax melted onto the table were all that remained of candles long burned out. Candles were not part of their usual routine, and Carol got the feeling that he had planned something special for that night. Thor finally stood and turned toward her, his face a mask of worry, disappointment, and relief.

“The mess on Dakkam took longer than I thought it would,” she began conversationally, trying to lighten the mood. “You should have seen it, there was this huge, snarling…” She trailed off as Thor came very close and took her in his arms.

“The tracking beacon is off on your ship,” he said, ignoring her story.

She pushed back from him slightly and folded her arms across her chest, unable to keep the annoyance out of her voice. “Well, yeah, I turned off most of the ship’s systems so I could get here sooner. What’s the big deal anyway? You know I can’t easily pinpoint my returns. What’s so important that it can’t wait a day?” It all came spilling out of her. Sleep had been hard to come by on her return trip despite the darkness in the ship. She was tired, hungry, and frustrated at this reception. She watched as Thor sighed and silently fished something small out of a pocket. He held it clasped in his fist, and she wondered what it could be.

“I had planned a grander gesture,” he said wryly. She looked at him curiously as he took a breath and continued. “Three years ago we agreed to try this arrangement. To see if it would work. I think it works. You?” He looked at her expectantly.

“I… yeah, it works,” she replied, smiling at him in confusion. Where was he going with this?

“Three years ago I told you I was willing to wait for you. I admit I am getting impatient,” he laughed softly.

He took one of her hands and brought it up in between them, then he placed the item in her palm. She looked down at it: a simple gold ring with a few small gems inset into the band. She looked at him questioningly. This couldn’t be what she thought it was.

“Carol, I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to share in your triumphs and your sorrows, to be there for you when you need me and even when you don’t. I am hoping that you want the same.”

Her mind was racing, but at the same time she felt as if it was moving too slowly. Her sleep-deprived brain couldn’t process what was happening quickly enough. Finally she found her voice. “Thor… what are you saying?”

“I am asking you to stand beside me as my wife. As my queen.” He looked at her searchingly, his expression full of sincerity and hope.

Now her mind went totally blank. This wasn’t an accidental proposal made in an emotional moment. This was carefully considered and planned. It was real. She had spent time thinking idly about the future, but never seriously. She never expected it to come so soon. “I don’t know what to say,” she replied, and she was telling the truth.

“Say yes.”

It didn’t feel like it could be that easy. Nothing in her life was. And yet, it seemed so right. She curled her hand around the ring and said, “Yes.”

Thor took her by the waist and pulled her into a kiss, holding her close as if he was afraid she would change her mind. She melted into his embrace, feeling his strong arms around her. His hands moved along her back and stopped as they encountered an unexpected object.

“Why do you have a sword?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

She laughed at the absurdity of it. “It was a gift. From the Dakkamites.”

“You don’t like swords.”

She shrugged. “Yeah, but Brunnhilde does. It’s pretty wild,” she said as she slung it off her back and held it out to Thor.

He pulled the sword out of it’s sheath and it glittered in the low light. “This looks like vibranium,” he said in awe as he inspected the sword, “and… uru? It can’t be. Where did they get this?” It was rhetorical question.

“What is it?” she asked.

Thor was shaking his head. “This had to be made by the dwarves on Nidavellir. But I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Brunnhilde’s going to flip out,” Carol smirked.

“That’s putting it mildly.” Thor resheathed the weapon and laid it carefully on a nearby table. “Where were we?” he asked approached her, taking her hand that was still clutching the ring. She looked at it again as he took it from her grasp and slid it onto her finger. It fit perfectly.

“Lucky it’s the right size,” she said.  
  
Thor smiled. “Not really. It’s a magic ring, and changes its size to match the person it belongs to.”

She looked at it again with awe. “And the stones?”  
  
“Asgardian gems. They’re rare and precious. Just like you.”

Carol raised her eyebrows at him. “I can’t believe you just said that. When did you get so sappy?”

Thor just grinned and shrugged. She reached out to pull him into another kiss. A strong sensation of belonging, of being in her home with her people, washed over her. She hadn’t truly allowed herself to feel like that since she had left Earth the first time. She wasn’t an Asgardian, but it didn’t matter. She was home. 


	7. Epilogue

It was early that morning, and Thor lay snoring in the bed next to her. The sun streamed in and glinted off a small knife in her hand as she sat on the edge of the bed. Her other hand moved over an almost imperceptible bump on her lower abdomen. Taking a deep breath, she sliced her skin over the top of it and squeezed out a small oblong object, no larger than a grain of rice. She looked at the slightly bloody device in her hand, pushing a wad of gauze against the wound.

She had gotten rid of as many of the Kree implants as she could long ago, but she had left this one in. The small birth control device had preserved her freedom, kept her from getting tied down. No one had known it was there, not even Thor. She woke up this morning from a dream she couldn’t remember—unusual for her—and was immediately struck by the thought of removing the device. It had taken her a while to work up the nerve to do it, not because of the pain (which she barely felt), but because of what it meant to have it gone. The thought was mildly terrifying, but even though Thor had never brought it up and would never pressure her about it, she knew that he wanted children. She was surprised that she found herself… not entirely opposed to the idea.

She stared at the device for a bit longer, then dumped it unceremoniously into the trash and laid back down next to Thor. He murmured something unintelligible in his sleep and reached out to grab her, pulling her close to him. She never fell back asleep when she woke up in the mornings, but just then, in his arms, she felt herself slip slowly back into a peaceful slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad I finished this before I saw Endgame; it can be hard for me to write against canon once I've seen it. 
> 
> This series is finished for now, although I reserve the right to add more. I hope you've enjoyed this diversion, and if you want to see Thor and Carol trying to take care of a super-powered baby let me know, lol!


End file.
